


Practicing Simplicity

by supercasey



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Affection, Affectionate Bruce, Affectionate Diana, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Post-Mission, Post-Mission Quiet Time, Public Display of Affection, Relationship Discussions, Relationship(s), Romance, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, quiet time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-22
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-31 17:43:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3987013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercasey/pseuds/supercasey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Practicing the simple things is a necessity he never knew he needed. Turns out, Amazonians are more protective of their teammates than he thought. Batman isn't supposed to be affectionate, but... it's nice, he must admit, to just lie there, in the calmness of the rec room. It's also nice that she's there with him. It makes it easier to let go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Practicing Simplicity

Practicing Simplicity

Description: Practicing the simple things is a necessity he never knew he needed. Turns out, Amazonians are more protective of their teammates than he thought. Batman isn't supposed to be affectionate, but... it's nice, he must admit, to just lie there, in the calmness of the rec room. It's also nice that she's there with him. It makes it easier to let go.

A/N: Just some domestic fluff between Diana and Bruce. Sorry, I'm in a WonderBat mood lately. Could be considered SuperWonderBat, but is more centered around Bruce and Diana's relationship.

...

The position isn't ideal, but Batman doesn't comment as he rests his head against her side, practically in her lap. This isn't the closest they've ever been to inappropriate with each other- they've done more impressive things. It's still a shock for him each time it happens, when they get this close, when he can hear her heartbeat, when she's close enough where she could snap his neck and he wouldn't have enough time to stop her. He's too relaxed, he thinks, adjusting slightly against her, but it's understandable that he's this close right now. It was a close call on the last mission- Joker getting loose in the capital is never a good thing, especially when he brings a bunch of other villains with him- but Batman lived. He lived, somehow. Even he's surprised he's alive to tell the tale.

He hasn't been so close to death in a very long time- a few names come up, a few other close calls- nothing that happened after he met her. Diana Prince, AKA Wonder Woman. Call him irresponsible, but Batman was... attracted to her. He won't say it was love outloud, because love is serious and he doesn't want it to be serious, not with her. Not because he does not have the capacity to love, because he certainly does, but because love is also incredibly dangerous for a man like him, a man like Batman. He almost yawns as he adjusts again, trying to be uncomfortable against her, so he'll stop relaxing and feeling safe, but such a task is impossible when she starts running her hands through his hair, the hair that he's letting her see. He should put his cowl back on. He doesn't.

"You're tense." Diana comments, above Batman, reading a book with one hand, the other working it's fingers through his raven curls. "Relax..."

"I'm trying not to." Batman deadpans, caught between getting off her lap and giving into her hold and dozing off like he wants to. Needs to. "Gotham might need me tonight."

"It's a little late to go back out tonight." Diana informs him, her voice lighthearted and teasing, something Batman almost appreciates. "Besides, J'onn ordered you to stay here until your leg has fully recovered."

At the mentioning of his leg, Batman gives his cast-covered leg as much attention as he would his morning cup of coffee in the silly Superman-themed mug Clark got him last Christmas. "I can teleport to the cave from here. I don't see why I need to stay."

Diana actually chuckles due to his reply, flipping to the next page of her book offhandedly, planing to focus on it later. "Because-" She whispers, still sounding fine, like she hadn't tried to rip Joker's head off hours ago with only Superman and Flash holding her back. "-No one here trusts you not to patrol with a broken leg. Relax, Bruce."

He tries. He actually tries to relax, closes his eyes and makes himself go limp against her side, maybe to spite her, maybe to get some actual rest. He doesn't tell her that he's been awake for three and a half days straight. She probably knows, has probably seen him buzzed with the caffeine of coffee keeping him functional, has probably noticed his almost shaking hands as he tries so hard to find the Joker. He tries really hard, always, to find the Joker, because the Joker kills and Batman stops him. It's a cycle. Diana almost broke that cycle, almost ended it on a better note than it will probably one day end on, but instead, he got arrested. She hates it. So does Batman, but not as bluntly. He probably should hate it just as animated as Diana does... but he doesn't. Can't. It's not in his nature to animate.

It's a difference in upbringing, they all assume, in the backs of their minds. Diana was born in Paradise, but raised to fight and hate men for being men. Amazing that she found love in a man. Bruce was born in the Hell that is Gotham City and grew to fight, to protect it, make it better. He's found something that's nicer than that life, a lot nicer, but it's very hard to accept and grow used to. Hard to enjoy to the fullest. Diana's willing to put in the time to make such a relationship work, willing even to give this all up and truly be with him. Bruce is willing to make it functional, willing to make it worth something other than a few kisses and gentle hugs. Not much more than that. In another universe, he can give everything worthwhile up for just her and her alone, but in this universe, obligations come first.

"Have you tried counting?" Diana asks, breaking Batman out of the almost-trance he was in, both conscious and not. "I've heard counting sheep helps."

"I'm not about to sleep on you." Batman promises, head fully in her lap at this point, but he doesn't pay it too much mind. "I have a city to patrol later."

"I will chain you to the medical bed if you try to leave again." Diana threatens, voice sounding both sweet and terrifying. "Remember two months ago when you broke your arm in that children's park running after Poison Ivy? And how you STILL tried to patrol when we weren't looking? I'm not about to drag you back to the Watchtower soaked in your own blood."

"I'm planing on a simple patrol, Diana. No busting any mob fortresses." Batman swears, but it's a bad idea to lie to Diana, and he's reminded of it tenfold as he feels the unmistakable tying of her lasso around his cast-covered foot.

"Now then, Bruce. What are you really planing on doing tonight on your patrol?" Diana questions, in the same tone she uses to question a suspect. Batman should hate her for this, should demand she unties him and lets him leave, but he doesn't. He allows her to be in charge for once, something he's been trying to get used to.

"I'm going to escape from the Watchtower once you fall asleep and go after Scarecrow." Batman explains, truthfully, the magic in the lasso pressuring his mind to speak only the truth itself, and nothing but.

"Scarecrow?" Diana's tone changes again, this time concerned, like she was scared that this was the truth but knew it all along. "Bruce, you're in no condition to fight him. Not on a broken leg, and certainly not alone."

"I've fought him by myself before." Batman admits, as Diana reaches over him, this time while he's focused, and unties the lasso from his foot. "I can take him, with or without anyone's help. And the legs nothing, I can heal it with chems in the Bat-cave."

"Those chemicals are very dangerous." Diana reminds him, grip tightening somewhat in Batman's hair, making him flinch involuntarily. "I don't trust your people to keep you safe. Not always. Alfred and Robin I trust, not Wayne Corp."

"They don't even know I'm using them, Diana." Batman is honestly sick of this argument, doesn't like fighting with Diana, especially during their 'Quiet Time' after a risky mission. "You don't need to worry about me."

"And yet I do." Diana whispers it with a certain... peacefulness, like she's wondering why she worries so much, too. "I'm not about to stop. Worrying about you, that is. You're... important to me, Bruce. It's complicated."

"I agree." Batman replies, adjusting for the millionth time against her, until he's staring up at her, arms crossed behind his head lazily. "Whatever this is, it's strange. You're one of the first people I've liked like this."

"I feel the same way." Diana agrees, and it ends there, somehow. They should probably keep talking, keep discussing how exactly this will all work out, but for now, this is enough. This is enough to keep them sustained.

...

A/N: A little thing I wrote up a month or two ago and am only now re-reading for errors and uploading. Hope you all enjoy it!

~Supercasey.


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